Knitting-needle.



A. H. METCALF'.

KNITTING NEEDLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.13. 1918.

1,268,752. Patented June 4,1918.

ALPHA H. METGALF, 0F A'ITLEIBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB. TO MARATHON GO rm, SAMUEL M. EINSTEIN, PBOPRIETOR, 0F ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed lebruary 18, 1818. Serial No. 216,869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHA H. Mn'ronnr, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knitt itg-Needles, of which the following is a spec cation. 4 This invention re ates to certain new and useful. improvements in knitting needles, and the primary object of the invention 1s to provide a set of knitting needles which are nested one within the other, so as to provide a simple and compact assemblage of the various needles, in a single umt.

A further object of the invention is to rovide means'for holding the needles assem led so as to prevent accidental separation of the individual needles, and to also provide a neat and attractive appearing article.

' 'In the drawings- Figure 1 is an elevation of the needle in their housed or nested state.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in longitudinal section, the lower parts of the needles bein broken away.

Fig. 3 1s a section on line 3 -3 of 2.-

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the needles in the act of separating same.

In proceeding in accordance with the invention, an outer needle 1 is employed which constitutes a holder for the remaining two needles 2 and 3, the needles being hollow in formation, or tubular and provided with the usual point 4. The innermost needle 3 however could be made other than hollow if desired.

Each needle has a circular head though other forms of heads could obviously be employed, the heads 5, 6 and 7 being of decreasing diameter so as to present a somewhat pyramidal formation so as to not only present an attractive appearance but also more readily permit of the separation of the needles from their nested arrangement. The needles are telescoped, one within the other, as depicted,'in the drawings, and in order to prevent accidental separation of same, the outer or head end part'of each needle 2 and 3 is formed with a series of slits 8 extending up to the heads 6 and 7 thus forming a series of sprin finger-like parts 9, which latter are bowe outwardly to form projections 1Q which frictionally engage the inner circumferences of the next ad acent outer needles. By reason of the res1l1ency of the spring parts 9, it will be apparent that, since those parts roject outwardly, pressure will be require to a slight degree to force the needles into internesting position, and the same will consequently be held in such positions, by the frictional contact between the parts 9 and the inner circumferential wall of the surrounding needle.

The spring parts or fingers 9 are disposed adJacent the heads of the needles, so as to require less force in separating theneedles, or withdrawing same, due tov the fact that the parts 9 are close to the points at which the force is applied.

Preferably, three needles comprise a 'set, the outer needle acting as a housing for the remaining two needles. Obviously, however,

but two needles, or more than three may be made to constitute a set. v From theforegoing it will be apparent that the needles are internested and appear as a unit, or as a single needle. This not .only facilitates carrying of the needles, but

prevents the same from being lost or separated, one with respect to the other or others. In addition, less space is required to store the needles, and since the needles are tubular iaheyi are light in weight and easily manipuate ' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A set of knitting needles composed of a hollow needle, and a second needle received on the interior of the hollow needle, said needles being of substantially the same length and diameter and each having a handle and a point.

2. A set of knitting needles composed of a hollow-needle a-second needle movably received in the, rst needle, said second needle being formed with relativel short slits and the metal between the slits lieing bowed outwardly. to form spring-like PI'OjBOtlOllS engageable with the inner circumferential wall of the hollow needle so as to hold the needles against accidental separation.

3. A set of'knitting needles composed of a series of hollow outer needles receivable one within the other and an inner needle receivable in the inner one of the outer nee Patented June a, are.

' dles, all of the needles "being 'of approximately the same diameter and length so as to each have a handle of similar length.

4. A set of knittingneedles composed of 5 a hollow outer needle, a hollow inner needle receivable on the interior of the outer needle and having a head engaging the adjacent end of the outer needle, said inner needle having a series of relatively short spaced 10 slits extending to its head and having the material between the slits bowed outwardly to form spring fingers to engage the inner circumferential wall of the outer needle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 15 two subscribing Witnesses.

ALPHA H. METCALF.

Witnesses:

ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER. 

